Baby Sleep Norms | From a Pediatric OT and Mom of Two

One thing I’ve been studying lately is baby sleep norms and cultural outlooks around baby sleep.

Not gonna lie, I’ve kinda been nerding out. What I’ve found, and what I’m sure you already know is that sleep can look a million different ways depending on where you live in the world. Which means there are so many types of “normal” ... especially when you talk about the baby’s sleep and their sleeping environment.

From cosleeping to crib sleeping, it‘s all about what is best for you and your family. Especially when it relates to baby sleep. 

In fact, many parents cosleep regularly with their child or cosleep at times. And others place baby in their own space. ➡️

Cosleeping is completely normal and historically common, but ensuring we do this safely is very important. If you choose to cosleep, just be sure to keep the following guidelines in mind to keep baby safe:

• Avoid soft surfaces.
• Firm, flat surfaces are best.
• Remove loose or soft items around your baby (pillows, blankets, etc)
• Place baby on their back
• Keep pets and other children out of the bed while the infant is sleeping
• Dress infant in proper sleeping attire and a wearable blanket to avoid overheating
• Offer a pacifier during naps and bedtime to reduce the risk of SIDS (sleepfoundation.org)

So now that we are more familiar with baby sleep environments, let’s talk about when those sleeping environment change...

Like, when should you introduce a floor or “big kid“ bed ... Or when should you move your baby out of their bassinet!?

According to Safe Sleep, it’s recommended to keep your baby in your room until 6 months old (but this differs for all families, including mine). A bassinet is, however, recommended for babies 4-6 months. And transitioning to a playard, or a crib in their own room may be right for your family after this age.

There is no “right” time to transition your baby to their crib, and the same goes for transitioning to a floor bed or “big kid” bed. And lots of you have made this transition and this is when you decided to make the switch.

Some people cosleep or use a floor bed from day one, others transition their infant to a floor bed at 6 months, others a “big kid” bed at 18 months old, and some wait until 3+ to transition out of the crib all together. It really just depends on family preference and your thoughts around baby sleep.

My son (almost 2) is still in a crib and we are riding that wave until we have to make the switch!

So sleeping environments and norms are important, but what‘s all this talk about sleep regressions!? And when do they happen!?

We have to remember that SO much learning and development is happening with our babies, and with all this learning comes difficulty with sleep.

A research study by Tham, et al (2017) found that there is a "positive association between sleep, memory, language, executive function, and overall cognitive development in typically developing infants and young children."

So sleep regressions are common among infants and toddlers.

Taking Cara Babies states sleep regressions are “most commonly seen around 4 months, 8-10 months, 12 months, and 18 months. There are also a few common sleep regressions during the toddler years around 2 years and 3 years."

And a lot of times toddlers have either a nap or night time sleep regression. 

To conclude, baby sleep, and child sleep in general, is complex. So when we think about sleep we should consider cultural norms, family routines, regressions, environment, and transitions.

At the end of the day, family preference is the most important because you seriously know what’s best for your babe!

Thanks for reading!